Rolling The Dice: Fun Ways of Cultivating Connection, Understanding, and Community in Our Mental Health Journey

When you think of getting support for mental health, what comes to mind? I'm betting it's support like therapy, support groups, or seeing your family doctor, which are amazing supports. There are also creative ways, like board games, which have been coming back, according to an article in the Washington Post in 2022.

How? By helping us build connections, communication, creativity development, and improving our cognitive skills. Plus, as a person diagnosed with ADHD. For me, games or gaming have been a great tool for helping me disconnect and feel less overwhelmed.

So, let's now look at a few games around learning about our mental health that are fun and empowering in your mental health journey.

Better Than Yesterday: I like this because it gives daily challenges by asking daily reflection questions. The has daily questions or challenges like do something good for yourself today. I find this game and the questions it asks are fantastic, focusing on the things in our power and helping us figure out our motivators.

Guided Art Therapy Deck: According to Michigan State University, many might be surprised to know art therapy has existed since the 1940s. It is a good tool for expressing, understanding, and processing our thoughts and feelings. It's designed to help one connect with themselves through things like writing, digital art, and other great activities.

Your Mental Health Toolkit: Here is another great option for anyone looking to understand their mental and emotional well-being. Dr. Emma Cotterill designed the game. She designed the game for learning to respond to challenging emotions and reflect on their thoughts and feelings. It also comes with a guidebook for learning how to use it in your mental health journey.

The Little Box of Calm: I know a few who used this game, and they liked it. It's a 52-card deck; each card is an affirmation that is compassionate and mindful phrases for helping us gain clarity and understanding while taking a healthy approach to our various thoughts and feelings.

My Feelings: As an adult, one thing I wish my parents had done better is to take a healthy approach to my mental health diagnosis and challenges. I like this game so much because it teaches about emotions through play and builds this bond and connection when your child is younger. It'll also help them to be able to communicate with themselves and others about their mental health.

Finally, there are tons of games and activities to help with our mental health. It's also depending on where you are in your journey to ask your health professional if they have any recommendations. So before I go here are a few tips to keep when getting a board or card game designed to help one in their mental health journey.

• It's good to make the game match your intended mental health goals like relaxing, social interactions, mindfulness, etc.
• Is it evidence-based?
• Does the game use inclusive language, cultural sensitivity, and is it fun?
• Does the game give opportunities for positive discussions?
• Does the game help with developing self-awareness and does it promote healthy self-care practices?

REFERENCES

Peiser, J. (2022, December 24). We're in a golden age of board games. It might be here to stay. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/12/24/board-game-popularity/

10 Mental Health Benefits of Playing Board Games – THERAPY PUB & Co. (n.d.). 10 Mental Health Benefits of Playing Board Games – THERAPY PUB & Co. https://therapy.pub/10-mental-health-benefits-of-playing-board-games/

Better than Yesterday: the 365 Day Mindfulness Game from What Do You Meme? - Walmart.com

The benefits art therapy can have on mental and physical health. (2023, June 8). Food & Health. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_benefits_art_therapy_can_have_on_mental_and_physical_health

Guided Art Therapy Card Deck by Emily Sharp, LCAT, ATR-BC | Penguin Random House Canada. (n.d.). Penguin Random House Canada. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/735824/guided-art-therapy-card-deck-by-emily-sharp-lcat-atr-bc/9780593690345

Your Mental Health Toolkit: A Card Deck: 45 Cards to Navigate Difficult Emotions: Your Mental Health Toolkit: A Card Deck: 45 Cards to Navigate Difficult Emotions by Emma Cotterill, Other Format | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

My Feelings game | Sensational Learners | Educational Games For Kids | Educational board games | learning games for kids | Educational board game to explore feelings | Self Regulation game |. (n.d.). Sensational Learners. https://www.sensationallearners.com/pages/about-the-game

The Little Box of Calm - Kyabra. (n.d.). Kyabra. https://kyabra.org/product/the-little-box-of-calm/